


Debut

by Secondprinces (CrimeBrulee)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, a coming out story but make it fancy, but also some good Lorenz and Ferdinand friendship, trans Ferdinand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:53:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28762113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimeBrulee/pseuds/Secondprinces
Summary: My piece for the fetranswinterexchange2020, written for twitter user @NayruSol42.Lorenz aids Ferdinand in coming out as trans to his classmates, in the fanciest way possible.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16
Collections: Fire Emblem Trans Winter Exchange 2020





	Debut

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy, Sol! I had fun with this because I got to sort of put my own experiences as a trans guy into Ferdinand's makeover scene and his first time seeing himself with the hair and the clothes.

There was nothing as important as a good _debut_ , Ferdinand thought as he stared into the mirror. A classic coming of age ceremony, an announcement of eligibility upon the courting scene, the stepping into the role as the head of house….

But this? This was a little different, and it left jitters like fireworks crackling up and down Ferdinand’s spine.

The scissors creaked near Ferdinand’s ear. Each precise snip discarded a lock of curls onto the cloak strewn out under his chair. Lorenz hovered, first in front, then to each side, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth _just so_ as he combed, prodded, cut, and arranged. 

“I hope this is one of those ‘looks bad before it looks good’ kind of things,” Ferdinand said.

“You,” Lorenz muttered, punctuating his words with a few more snips, “will just have to trust my expertise.”

“Ha,” Ferdinand breathed. He felt a warmth blossoming at his chest at the close attention, though he winced as the cold of the scissors bit against the back of his ear. “Careful…”

“I’m not going to cut your ear off,” Lorenz said. “Unless you squirm, that is.”

“Haha, very funny.”

Ferdinand sat that much straighter. Unused to the garment he used to bind, he took cautious breaths, feeling its pressure across his chest. He’d get used to it, Lorenz had said. When he glanced up, the flat plane of his chest already justified any discomfort. 

“So,” Lorenz said, finally setting the scissors down on the desk for a comb. He gently worked it through Ferdinand’s hair, now tucked just past his ears in butterscotch waves. “What do you think, Ferdinand von aegir.”

A certain giddiness bubbled through Ferdinand just _hearing_ the name he’d chosen for himself. It expanded, escaping as a short laugh as he turned his head side to side, running his fingers through newly cut hair. “I think it turned out nicely. Very noble…”

“I told you that you could trust me,” Lorenz beamed. “These delicate hands were made for crafting only the finest expressions of pure nobility. Be that my own appearance, the letters I script, the tea I blend….and in this case, your own debut.” He hummed, lips pursed, and handed Ferdinand a set of clothes. “I also went through the trouble of finding you a boy’s uniform in your size. You can put those on while I go find the professor. If this is to be a proper debut, you will need a staircase to descend, after all. And, of course, an official introduction, spoken to the masses waiting below.”

“I don’t know if all of that is necessary,” Ferdinand said. 

“Pish posh, this way no one has an excuse but to refer to you correctly,” Lorenz said. “And you won’t have to explain yourself over and over.”

“You don’t suppose anyone will be weird about it, do you?” Ferdinand said. He ran his fingers over the gold threading on the uniform in his lap. It glinted in the candlelight.

“No one who matters,” Lorenz said. “You know who you are, and they can’t take that away from you. You’ll hold your head up high and you will walk with the confidence of one who is secure in his identity, as you always have. That’s the Ferdinand that I know and respect. Likely, the rest of our classmates will feel the same way. Now, chop chop. Get those clothes on. I even pressed them and everything.”

“ _You_ pressed them?”

“Well, I had a servant press them,” Lorenz mumbled as he eased himself out of the door.

Ferdinand chuckled, but stood to slip out of the plain black linen clothes he’d borrowed from Lorenz earlier that day. He stepped into the pants one leg at a time, turning to stare at himself in the mirror from the side as he stooped down to pull the boots on. Then, he buttoned up the undershirt and shrugged into the jacket, tugging at the lapels to straighten it. 

Something was missing.

Ferdinand glanced about the room—littered with locks of hair and books and the remnants of an afternoon tea. Lorenz wouldn’t mind if he just took a look around. They’d been good friends since they’d started academy together; most of their belongings were interchangeable at this point.

Ah, of course, this was what he needed—Ferdinand yanked an ascot out of one of Lorenz’s drawers. Any self-respecting noble knew to embellish his throat in such a fashion, after all. He positioned it so it draped down from beneath where his collar parted, halfway up his neck.

Ferdinand beamed at his reflection, that same giddiness glowing from the inside out.

A knock startled him.

“Everything is in order,” Lorenz murmured from the other side. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Ferdinand said, shouldering the door open to join Lorenz. 

“Ah, the ascot. It suits you,” Lorenz said with an approving little smile. “I should have thought of that myself. Really ties everything together. Now, come. Everyone is waiting.”

“Here goes nothing,” Ferdinand said.

And he let Lorenz lead him to the grand ballroom, where two extravagant staircases climbed opposite one another, meeting into a gilded balcony. Ferdinand emerged from the doorway onto that balcony and stared down at the masses of black and gold uniforms and the familiar faces of his peers.

Byleth joined him on one side and put a hand on his elbow. “Shall I introduce you?” they asked. “Or would you prefer to do the honors?”

Ferdinand felt color rise into his cheeks. He could make out Lady Edelgard below, shadowed as always by Hubert’s menacing aura just one pace behind and to the left. 

“I am not sure my voice will not waver,” Ferdinand admitted.

“It’s okay if it does,” Byleth said. They smiled, giving Ferdinand’s arm a little squeeze.

“In this case, I’ll leave the talking to you, and the walking to me.”

“I’d be honored,” Byleth said. They turned toward the crowd, voice carrying with a quiet authority. “I am sure you are all wondering why you’ve all been gathered here on such short notice. I simply wanted to formally introduce everyone to someone you already know quite well.”

They nodded to Ferdinand, who began his descent, knuckles white on the guardrail as he wobbled down the first few steps.

“Announcing Ferdinand von aegir, of the Adrestian Empire, and member of the Black Eagles.”

A pause.

Ferdinand’s steps grew steadier.

And then a soft applause. As Ferdinand reached the bottom step, he was embraced by the crowd of his peers. He sought out Lorenz’s face, smiling toward the edge, then Edelgard, who strode forward to take his hands in hers.

“Hello Ferdinand,” she said.


End file.
